Feed-cutter.



PATENTED MAY 3, 1904.

. .W. HOUGHTON.

FEED CUTTER.

ARPLIUATION FILED D30. 3, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

n w WM T0 a wr a W l. W

lower closed.

UNITED STATES Patented May 3, 1904..

WILLARD HOUGHTON, OF SNOHOMISH, WASHINGTON.

FEED-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,109, dated May 3, 1904.

Application filed December 3, 1902. Serial No. 133,764. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLARD HOUGHTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Snohomish, in the county of Snohomish and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feed Cutters, of which the following is a specification, refer: ence being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

'This invention relates to feed-cutters; and its object is to provide for cutting hay or ensilage for fodder,a new and improved machine which is simple in construction and efiicient in operation.

The invention consists in the several novel features of construction, adaptation of devices, and the combination thereof, as will be fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a feed-cutter em bodying my invention, the frame being shown on end for convenience of filling and the cover or follower open. Fig. Qis a similar view of the upper portion of the same with the fol- Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the invention in operative position. Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective fragmentary view of the cutterknives.

In the said drawings the letter A denotes the case or frame, which is open at both ends and provided with oppositely-disposed elon gated slots at in its sides.

B denotes the cutter-knives, comprised of a plurality of longitudinal and transverse blades Z), (see Fig. 5,) which are preferably made in tegral of east-steel, and is seated upon ledges Z, internal of the case and upon the longitudi- -nal bridge-supports J.

F denotes the follower, formed of two parts, respectively secured to the transverse trunnion bars f, which extend through the aforesaid slots and are pivotally connected to the arms a of drag-bars E. Pinions G mesh with rack-teeth 6', provided in the shanks of said drag-bars, whereby rotary motion in the former is converted into a rectilinear movement in the drag-bars and to the attached follower. Power may be applied directly to the arbor p,

carrying said pinion,or the arbor s, carrying a pinion S, which meshes with a spur gearwheel H, mounted on the first-named arbor. The said arbors extend through the case and are journaled in suitable bearings therein provided. K is a crank-handle having a socket it fitted to the ends of the said arbors,and would be used on one or the other, according to the speed or force to be imparted to the follower. For example, when the follower is being advanced against the reaction of the contained charge then it is easier to operate through the medium of the train of spur-gears, while in receding the follower to replenish the charge quicker action is obviously obtained by using the arbor p for the driver.

M is a pair of legs or props hinged to the case adjacent to its upper edge, whereby the same may be supported in an inclined position when being operated, as shown in Fig. 4.

N is a locking-bar pivotally connected to one of the follower parts and adapted to en gage with a socket a of the other part to lock the parts in their closed positions.

The operation of theinvention is as follows: The case being supposed to be on end and the follower open, as shown in Fig. 1, the feed is thrown into the case and packed down by hand through the opening 0 between the follower parts, which are then closed and locked. The case is then tilted upon one edge (see Fig. 4) and the follower advanced slowly but forcibly downward, exuding the amount of feed required in a finely-divided state between the cutter-knives.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is r 1. The herein-described feed-cutter, consisting of the frame or case having longitudinal slots in the sides thereof, the divided follower openablc upon bars extended through the said slots and pivotally connected with the drag-bars, said drag-bars having rack-teeth cut in the shanks thereof, pinions meshing with said rackteeth, spurgears fixedly mounted on the arbor carrying said pinions, pinions meshing with the said spur-gears, means to rotate said pinions and gears, and a cutter comprising a plurality of transverse and longitudinal knife-blades, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The combination with the frame provided with op positel y-disposed slots in its side walls, and a plurality of cutter-knives arranged in said frame adjacent one of its ends, of a follower formed in two parts, trunnion-bars secured to each part of said follower and projecting through the slots of the said frame, means for securing the said follower parts together'in the same plane, drag-bars wherein the projecting ends of the said trunnion-bars are pivoted, and means for operating the said drag-bars. 

